


Exit Row Seat

by koalathebear



Category: Bones (TV)
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-01-02
Updated: 2012-01-02
Packaged: 2017-10-28 17:13:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 986
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/310172
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/koalathebear/pseuds/koalathebear
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>I sat in the emergency exit row when flying on the tiny Dash-8 (eggbeater!) plane back to Canberra for Christmas and the flight attendant asked me if I was prepared to handle the emergency hatch in the event of an emergency.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Exit Row Seat

"Bones - would it kill you to pay attention?"

"What?" Temperance blinked up at Booth who was staring down at her in exasperation. He jerked his head towards the flight attendant who was standing in the aisle and demonstrating the use of the oxygen mask and life jackets.

"Booth, I know exactly what I'm supposed to do in the event of an emergency."

At that point, the overhead announcement said. _"We ask that you pay attention to the in-flight safety demonstration as procedures may vary among different aircraft."_

"They always say that," Temperance told him when he made a 'you see what I'm talking about' gesture at her.

"There's always the matter of just being polite," Booth said beneath his breath as the flight attendant glanced their way inquiringly.

Temperance sighed and put her papers down, watching the demonstration with forced attentiveness.

When the demonstration finished, before Temperance could pick up her papers again, the pretty blonde flight attendant was standing at Booth's side smiling pleasantly as she handed them each a laminated card.

 _"Plane Exit Row Seat Is a Responsibility."_

"As you are aware, the exit rows may only be occupied by passengers capable of assisting in an emergency. Please take the time to read the card and let me know if you are comfortable with agreeing to assist," she recited mechanically as if by rote.

Temperance stared down at the card and then over at Booth. Before she could respond, Booth had said,"Bones, I think we should swap seats".

 _"What?"_ Temperance demanded in disbelief.

"Of course it is very unlikely to happen," the flight attendant said, smiling at Booth with appreciation and admiration in her eyes. "But it is required that passengers in the exit rows are aware that if there is an emergency, they will need to assist us to open the hatch."

"That's fine, I can do that," Temperance said, looking incredulous.

"I still think that we should swap places," Booth told her.

"You hate the window seat. Besides, I'm just as capable as you of moving fast and efficiently to open the hatch."

"Bones, I'm not doubting your ability but I'd rather not wait for an emergency to see if your shoulder can handle 40 to 50 pounds of unhinged door. If you can't get it open, you could get trampled by other passengers trying to get past you."

"It's true that the hatches are heavy," the young attendant said earnestly.

"I'm well aware of that," Temperance said flatly. "Like he said, it's 40 to 50 pounds. I'm also aware that it's not just weight like a suitcase that can be lifted by a handle from the floor but a dead weight that needs to be lifted intact from the interior of the window frame, held at chest level, and either threaded back through the window to throw it clear, or placed on a seat - I can do it."

"It takes upper body strength, reasonably strong arms and back, and very fast, clear-thinking action," Booth told her, a faintly taunting look in his eyes. Neither Booth nor Temperance noted the flight attendant's emphatic nod of agreement as her eyes lingered admiringly on Booth's powerfully muscled arms.

" _I_ have upper body strength," Temperance protested volubly. "Probably more than her," she said indicating the flight attendant who looked slightly affronted.

"We are trained to open emergency exits and we have done so many times during our ongoing training," the flight attendant she told them.

"If this was a later model aircraft there'd be no problem, Bones, because they have emergency exits hatches that open outward on an upper hinge - this little baby's going to require an intense physical battle to open that hatch."

Temperance was starting to get flushed with irritation.

"Booth - you know the statistics. The chances of an emergency evacuation are infinitesimal. Besides, given the size of this plane, in the extremely unlikely event that there was an emergency, we'd probably all be dead in a blazing conflagration before we even got a chance to start evacuation procedures!"

At her words, there was a momentary lull in the conversation in the cabin and all eyes turned and stared at Temperance accusingly.

"Maybe talk a little louder - the guy with the hairpiece at the back there couldn't hear you," Booth whispered sharply and grimaced as Temperance elbowed him sharply in the ribs.

"It's always violence with you," he muttered.

The flight attendant quailed beneath the stares from the other passengers.

Temperance scowled at Booth and then took the laminated card from his hand. She gave both cards back to the flight attendant. "We agree to assist in the event of an emergency," she said firmly.

"Thank you," the flight attendant said in a rather plaintive voice and bolted to the back of thep lane as if pursued by a herd of vicious lions.

"What?" Temperance demanded when Booth stared at her steadily.

He leaned forward and rested his brow against hers. "Only you. Only you could mention dying in a blazing conflagration on the plane that is about to take us to our honeymoon in a remote and romantic location of the globe," he said with gentle exasperation in his voice.

" _You're_ the one who went all male chauvinistic on me," she told him, her hand reaching up to rest lightly on his cheek. Before he could protest, her mouth was against his and words were forgotten.

"Mr and Mrs Booth, please fasten your seatbelts," the flight attendant told them as she reappeared at Booth's elbow. "The captain predicts that there will be turbulence on the journey."

"I have absolutely no doubt of that," Booth said with a faint smile curving mouth as he met Temperance's steady gaze. "In fact, I'd expect nothing less."

As the plane took off, Temperance's hand slid into Booth's confidingly. His hand tightened around hers and they smiled at one another in preparation for the trip ahead.


End file.
